I’ve been struggling with imposter syndrome a lot recently. My boyfriend and I have had to have a lot of discussion about our future careers. Where we see ourselves going, where we would need to live, what we really want to do. And it makes me question myself a lot.
I’ve been with the same organization for 3.5 years now, I could probably consider it my first job out of college. I started small, got a promotion, and moved to New Hampshire. I was very positive I could do the job when I got the promotion, but the positivity comes and goes now. As I think it does with anyone and any job – rarely is anyone 100% good at something 100% of the time.
But if I had to get a new job…would I be able to do it? I’ve learned most of what I know about PR/Communications on the job. And the rest (being social media/blogging) was self taught. But what I’ve learned on the job could be so specific to this job – would I be able to do it anywhere else? Would I even be good at it if I can’t be good at it all the time at somewhere I’ve worked for over 3 years?
What if this is all I know how to do? Of course I could try learning new things, a new job, a new company. But what if I couldn’t do it? I feel like a fraud even looking at jobs out there and reading the descriptions. Because how can I consider myself a professional when all of these things seem so far out of my depth? My own life now seems so far out of my depth.
What if what I’m doing now career wise and life wise is all I know how to do?
Rosie Culture 
Reading this, either you’re secretly a man in his late 40s, or I’m secretly a woman in her mid-20s!
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hahah are you telling me this feeling never goes away?!
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I’ve only had it come up in the last year or two, so you’ve got a good chance that it will.
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I’m kind of asking myself the same question regarding my own career these days. And I think, any time we’re willing to step outside of our comfort zones and away from what we’ve known and what’s safe, it’s terrifying. But I also think that when we do that, we give ourselves permission to surprise ourselves with all that we are really capable of doing.
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I love that! Just have to get the courage up to take the step
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It’s a leap of faith thing. It often seems that the longer we are in one place, the more frightening the new places seem, and we doubt ourselves in order to keep in that comfy zone. I know in my own experience, and that is all I really know, the leap into the new has always been worth it, even if it caused upheaval in the short term. Write your narrative the way you want it to turn out, your inner voice knows the words.
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That’s true, the longer we stay it makes things harder! I am so open to new things in one sense, but when it comes to my career and skills I just don’t have that same eagerness to try something new and potentially fail
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Good luck. You will know when the time is right.
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Making changes always comes with a bit of fear, but changes also bring new opportunities and new learning. You’ve got time to grow.
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You are completely over-thinking this, so easy to do. Life isn’t a detailed plan it’s a twisting pathway that leads who-knows-where and the key to be happy is just to go with it and take chances and make decisions when they throw themselves up. Don’t try and second guess what may happen or what you may do, just be open to ideas and let it take you along. You’re doing well at work, have a good relationship, and seem happy which is wonderful. Love the ‘imposter syndrome’ idea though.
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I overthink everything it’s what I do! lol
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I so relate. My position is so specific and for a specific type of industry. In fact my role didn’t exist for my company a few years ago and probably didn’t exist at all even 10 years ago, which makes me feel like where can I go from here?? What else could I do? I’m so not qualified for job listings I see online. But at the same time, my position didn’t exist before but now it does, and with very little experience to begin with I’ve done pretty well. So maybe that could happen again in the future. And maybe the skills I have now will somehow be transferable for future jobs. At least I hope so! It’s hard to feel like I know things and am a valuable employee when I see job postings that have several requirements I don’t meet
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ugh I totally get it! My field is so wide and every job description so different. Maybe when the time comes, it won’t be as hard as we think it will be to transition into something new. Gotta hold on to hope!
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Great post. I can relate. I spent the first 10 years of my working career in a ‘profession’ getting to the top of where I could be and then getting a bit bored. I never thought any other job would fit with my skills until I realised that people aren’t fixed in a job. Most skills are transferrable. So I switched career. Left a profession behind (although I still keep my hand in) and I have never looked back. Just fit yourself (honestly) to the descriptions and give them a go 🙂
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Did you have to learn a lot with your new career? I don’t think I’m incapable of learning more, it just scares me to go into a job and not know everything like I do now!
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I did and didn’t if that makes sense. No more than it would have taken to keep the same job in a different location. Even changes of department can feel like starting new. I just got over the feeling of inadequacies at not knowing everything a while back. If you are confident in not knowing things it helps a lot…theres always ways of figuring things out. Just go for it, you will probably know more than you think you do 🙂
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You’re being diminutive about your own abilities and that’s totally natural! Sometimes we get comfortable in a place for so long that we doubt we’ll ever be able to get out for fear that it will go terribly. But I encourage you to pleaaasee grow and make changes while you can! Even if you fail, my god, it’s still so much better to have a life lived than being stuck in a comfortable place! I believe in you! 🥰
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Ugh just want to stay in my little comfort cocoon forever!
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I am TOTALLY the exact way too. I literally get out of my zone like once or twice or a year. 😖
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I think this is a common feeling to have. I get like this sometimes when I look at higher positions in libraries and feel like I could never fulfill the role. It’s normal to be doubtful. But just remember that you lasted 3.5 years and your current job and got a promotion. Starting a new job is scary. I remember reading somewhere that it takes about a full year to fully get adjusted to a new job. Don’t let the fear of not knowing everything get in the way.
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It really does take a year! Thank you!
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Welcome to the biggest club on the planet. As you were typing this about 100 people in a five square mile area surrounding you were thinking the same. On the bright side, things have a way of working out. Most of us are survivors and we use that instinct for the better. You will use it to.
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At least I’m not alone lol
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It only feels like this right now because it IS the only thing you’ve done. You are so capable of doing anything else you put your mind to. 💗
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That’s so very true! I feel like I need to push myself to branch out
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Oh man, I 100% relate to this in a scary way. I’m also in this PR/communications position, first one out of college, and am caught wondering if I really fit into this position across the board. Impostor syndrome is terrifying.
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